Coronavirus: Govt vests powers of Home secretary under DM Act with Health secy

Powers executed by the Union home secretary under the disaster management Act have been "delegated" to his health ministry counterpart to enhance preparedness against the coronavirus outbreak, a government order said on Wednesday. The Union home ministry order said the powers are exercised by the Union home secretary under section 10 of the Act and he being the Chairman of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

The section talks about monitoring the implementation of the national plan and the plans prepared by the ministries or departments of the central government and gives overarching superintendence power to the officer executing it. The latest order said these powers are being delegated to the Union health secretary to "enhance the preparedness and containment of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the other ancillary matters connected." It added that the order wil be "deemed" to have come into effect from January 17.

India on Wednesday suspended all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, according to an official statement..